Injury blows for Ghana - Partey, Amartey ruled out of TotalEnergies AFCON decider
Ghana have been dealt major injury blows ahead of their pivotal TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Central African Republic with Arsenal's Thomas Partey and Leicester's Daniel Amartey ruled out.
The Black Stars require at least a point in Thursday's Group E decider in Kumasi to seal qualification for Cote d'Ivoire 2023.
But they will have to achieve it without key midfielder Partey and defender Amartey after both were sidelined through injury.
Partey suffered a groin problem in training with Arsenal last week and is currently unavailable for selection.
Meanwhile, Amartey picked up a hamstring injury on 27th August and faces several weeks out of action.
Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana is still recovering from a hamstring issue suffered in July.
First-choice goalkeeper Joseph Wollacott also misses out having not fully overcome a thigh injury sustained in August.
🚨Chris Hughton has named the squad for Ghana's final round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) September 2, 2023
The match against Central African Republic is set to take place on September 7th at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. #BlackStars | #GHACAR pic.twitter.com/cP25e6UDgk
Mohammed Salisu continues his rehabilitation from a long-standing complaint, while striker Benjamin Tetteh is out with a quadriceps issue.
The absences come at a terrible time for Ghana boss Chris Hughton with so much on the line in the final qualifier.
Defeat would eliminate Ghana if Angola beat bottom side Madagascar. Hughton's side hold a one-point advantage over Angola and CAR heading into the last round.
There is a debut call-up for 19-year-old striker Ernest Nuamah, who recently signed for French club Lyon amid interest from several elite teams.
Veteran forward Andre Ayew also returns despite being without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest at the end of last season.
The squad:
Goalkeepers
Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Abdul Manaf Nurudeen, Richard Ofori
Defenders
Alidu Seidu, Kingsley Schindler, Stephan Ambrosius, Joseph Aidoo, Alexander Djiku, Nicholas Opoku, Baba Abdul Rahman, Gideon Mensah
Midfielders
Abdul Samed Salis, Baba Iddissu, Andre Ayew, Elisha Owusu, Edmund Addo, Mohammed Kudus, Ransford Koningsdorffer
Forwards
Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Ernest Nuamah, Osman Bukari, Joseph Painstil, Jonathan Sowah